Picket Wire Canyonlands Guided Auto Tour
Overview: For a unique and unforgettable family experience, tour the Picket Wire Canyonlands. Located on the Comanche National Grassland south of La Junta, Colorado, these rugged and remote canyons are home to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America! Guided auto tours are the easiest way to experience the Picket Wire Canyonlands and learn about its amazing, colorful past. During the tour, a knowledgeable U.S. Forest Service tour guide will show you hidden dinosaur tracks, share the history of the early pioneers and their historic ranches and homestead, some of the rich Native American history and beautiful natural features of the canyons. This auto tour truly has something for everyone and is the only motorized access into the canyons.
Dinosaur Tracks: Located on the banks of the Purgatoire River in southeast Colorado, this dinosaur tracksite is the largest documented assemblage of trackways in North America. Over 1,900 prints in 130 separate trackways extend across a quarter mile expanse of bedrock. Apatosaurus and Allosaurus are two types of dinosaurs that left prints in the mud over 150 million years ago.
This tracksite has given scientists interesting insights into the social behavior of dinosaurs. Tour guides will tell you what scientists have learned and show you difficult to find small tracks made by a carnivorous dinosaur or theropod. Without a guide you will miss the whole story of the tracksite!
Rock Art: Long ago, pictures of life, important events, and markers of time were carved and painted on the canyon walls by the numerous Native American tribes that travelled through the Picket Wire Canyonlands, prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America. You will get a rare glimpse at some of the most treasured and generally inaccessible Rock Art panels in the canyons.
Spanish Expedition: According to legend, a group of Spanish treasure seeking soldiers died in the canyons without benefit of clergy. Thus, in the sixteenth century the river was named El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio (the River of Souls Lost in Purgatory). Later, French trappers shortened the name to the Purgatoire. Early Anglo travelers on the Santa Fe Trail could not pronounce Purgatoire and hence further corrupted the name into Picket Wire.
Early Settlers: In the 19th century, Hispanic and European settlers homesteaded in Picket Wire Canyonlands. Guides will take you to an early Catholic Church and cemetery, which was built on land donated by Damacio Lopez. You will also visit Rourke Ranch, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and learn how pioneer Eugene Rourke's ranch grew from a 160-acre homestead in the late 1800s to an over 50,000-acre cattle empire still owned by the Rourke family into the 1970s.
Join us!
Don't miss this opportunity to spend a day exploring Picket Wire Canyonlands with a knowledgeable tour guide! All day tours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) are offered on Saturdays during Spring and Fall. Tours start at the USDA Forest Service office at 1420 East 3rd St., La Junta, CO. Sign up early because the tours fill up fast! Tours are offered through the USDA Forest Service. Due to rough roads, visitors will need their own four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. Call the USDA Forest Service at 719-384-2181 for more information.
Overview: For a unique and unforgettable family experience, tour the Picket Wire Canyonlands. Located on the Comanche National Grassland south of La Junta, Colorado, these rugged and remote canyons are home to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America! Guided auto tours are the easiest way to experience the Picket Wire Canyonlands and learn about its amazing, colorful past. During the tour, a knowledgeable U.S. Forest Service tour guide will show you hidden dinosaur tracks, share the history of the early pioneers and their historic ranches and homestead, some of the rich Native American history and beautiful natural features of the canyons. This auto tour truly has something for everyone and is the only motorized access into the canyons.
Dinosaur Tracks: Located on the banks of the Purgatoire River in southeast Colorado, this dinosaur tracksite is the largest documented assemblage of trackways in North America. Over 1,900 prints in 130 separate trackways extend across a quarter mile expanse of bedrock. Apatosaurus and Allosaurus are two types of dinosaurs that left prints in the mud over 150 million years ago.
This tracksite has given scientists interesting insights into the social behavior of dinosaurs. Tour guides will tell you what scientists have learned and show you difficult to find small tracks made by a carnivorous dinosaur or theropod. Without a guide you will miss the whole story of the tracksite!
Rock Art: Long ago, pictures of life, important events, and markers of time were carved and painted on the canyon walls by the numerous Native American tribes that travelled through the Picket Wire Canyonlands, prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America. You will get a rare glimpse at some of the most treasured and generally inaccessible Rock Art panels in the canyons.
Spanish Expedition: According to legend, a group of Spanish treasure seeking soldiers died in the canyons without benefit of clergy. Thus, in the sixteenth century the river was named El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio (the River of Souls Lost in Purgatory). Later, French trappers shortened the name to the Purgatoire. Early Anglo travelers on the Santa Fe Trail could not pronounce Purgatoire and hence further corrupted the name into Picket Wire.
Early Settlers: In the 19th century, Hispanic and European settlers homesteaded in Picket Wire Canyonlands. Guides will take you to an early Catholic Church and cemetery, which was built on land donated by Damacio Lopez. You will also visit Rourke Ranch, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and learn how pioneer Eugene Rourke's ranch grew from a 160-acre homestead in the late 1800s to an over 50,000-acre cattle empire still owned by the Rourke family into the 1970s.
Join us!
Don't miss this opportunity to spend a day exploring Picket Wire Canyonlands with a knowledgeable tour guide! All day tours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) are offered on Saturdays during Spring and Fall. Tours start at the USDA Forest Service office at 1420 East 3rd St., La Junta, CO. Sign up early because the tours fill up fast! Tours are offered through the USDA Forest Service. Due to rough roads, visitors will need their own four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. Call the USDA Forest Service at 719-384-2181 for more information.
Need to Know
- Auto Tour Safety Checklist
All tour participants 18+ years old must read through the safety checklist. Visitors on the tour are responsible for providing their own 4-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle. All-wheel drive, minivans, RVs, slide-in or cab-over campers for trucks, sedan type, ATV and UTV vehicles are not allowed. Tours are limited to a maximum of 40 people and are conducted by a tour guide. Tours start at USDA Forest Service in La Junta at 8 a.m. the day of the tour. Plan for a full day; from 8 a.m. to about 4 p.m. You must stay with the tour group for the full duration of the tour. It is not possible to take a partial tour or depart early due to access restrictions. Tours may be subject to cancellation due to adverse weather or road conditions. If the USDA Forest Service cancels a tour for this reason, tour fees will be refunded.
- Your Responsibility
Be aware of the potential risks and to take safety precautions at all times while on the tour. Children under the age of 18 are the complete responsibility of their accompanying adults/guardians. There must be one adult for every five children. Please do not let your children wander away from the tour.
- Pets
NO PETS ARE ALLOWED.
- Water
Drinking water is not available on the tour. Bring a minimum of 2 quarts of water per person. Carry extra water in your vehicle.
- Facilities
Restrooms are available at the office (morning), at the dinosaur tracksite (noon), and at Rourke Ranch (last stop of the day at about 3:00 p.m.).
- Clothing
High-top hiking boots are recommended.
Bring water shoes or old sneakers for crossing the river at the dinosaur tracks.
Be prepared for extreme weather! Wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant and loose breathable clothes for hot weather and layer clothing for cold or changing weather conditions. It is often at least 10 degrees warmer in the canyon than the temperature in the plains above.
Bring rain gear. - General Safety
Reptiles and insects live in the canyon. Avoid tall grass and watch where you sit and place your hands and feet.
Bring insect repellant and an EpiPen if you are allergic to insect stings.
Trails in the canyon have loose rocks, wire, cactus, and animal burrows. Watch your step.
Be prepared for changing weather conditions and high winds. If the weather looks like rain, the tour may leave the canyon early.
Bring all medications needed for a 24-hour period.
Bring a first aid kit.Cell phone service is typically unavailable in the canyon.
- River Safety
Be aware - the river may look shallow but may have sudden deep drop-offs and the water current can be swift.
Tour guides will determine whether or not the river is safe to cross based on its depth and current. You assume your own risk if you choose to cross the river.
Children must be supervised at all times, especially near the water. - Vehicle Safety
Four wheel drive, high clearance vehicles and an experienced driver are required for the tour.
Please use 4-wheel drive if the tour guides request it. Your vehicle may scrape vegetation, have a flat tire, or have damage to your axle or frame if not careful.
Sharp and blind curves exist. Please drive slowly at all times.
Be aware that hikers, horseback and bicycle riders, and wildlife all share the road; please keep your eyes on the road. Stop your vehicle only at safe level locations.
Flat tires may occur while on the tour. Bring at least one functional, properly inflated, spare tire. Bring a lug wrench and a jack that work for your vehicle.
During hot weather, engines have the potential to overheat. Check all fluid levels in your vehicle before the tour.
Booking Windows
Please check the individual ticket offering page for availability.
Changes and Cancellations
Contact Information
Mailing Address
1420 EAST THIRD ST La Junta CO 81050
Phone Number
719-384-2181
